The Shattered Realms: Hanalea ana'Raisa

Chapter Four

Blood & Tears

"On me! For the Queen in the North!"
"Rally around the Princess Heir!"

Shouts went up from the hill as crossbows sounded again, and with everyone dismounting by a miracle by the maker none found a target in Hanalea's guard.

"For the red hawk of Arden! Charge!" shouted a voice from the hill, and Hanalea and her guard which surrounded her, bristling with swords began to make their way to the cliff face.

There was only five of the guards left, seven if you counted Simon Byrne & Hanalea.
Simon's only concern at this point was getting the Princess Heir out of harms.

"Hanalea, we'll make a play for a horse so you can escape. Its the only way this doesn't end in failure. We'll buy you as much time as possible to let you get as far away as we can!" Simon growled in Hana's ear as the enemy charged & roared in the distance.

Simon pulled the reigns of a horse up, and as he was maneuvering between Hanalea and the enemy, a bolt struck the hind of the horse and it took off, yanking the reigns from Hanalea's hands.

"Bloody bones!" she muttered and her sword hissed free, and she turned around to face her enemy.

Her guards were down to four now, not including her & her captain Simon.

"Hana, you must run. We will hold them off." Simon growled, putting himself between Hana and the enemy. He pivoted to the right, and cut down an enemy in their dirtback brown uniforms, called mudbacks for the color they wore.

The remaining guards fell into line around Simon & Hanalea to try and buy her time to escape, but Hanalea pushed forward alongside them.

"I may not escape this, but I'll sooner die then turn my back to these cowards!" she growled and she cut down another mudback before parrying a strike from another to the left, and the Simon cutting him down.

Hanalea noticed that the Ardennines had circled around them and were closing in slowly. Hanalea felt the guard to her left shudder and his weight fade away, Hana turned and caught a blow to her stomach and as she stumbled back, Simon lunged forward plunging his sword through the midsection of the mudback. Kicking his sword free of the body, Simon came to Hanalea's side, and noticed the last of the guards pulled to the ground by a mudback.

The guard as he hit the ground, he pushed his sword forward catching the mudback in the chest. He, however was open and several mudbacks shoved their swords into his chest, leaving him skewered to the ground.

Simon and Hanalea back to back stood facing what was around them. The enemy came in slowly, but Hanalea was fearless. She darted forward and to the left, catching one soldier off guard, and was through his circle with her sword sliced his neck open. Simon darted with her, catching the one to her left off guard and killing him by running him through.

Hanalea and Simon turned around, using the bodies as shields, protecting themselves for a quick second. Simon and Hanalea pushed closer to the face of the cliff so their backs would be protected.

"Keep them from the face of the cliff!" went a shout from the hill top, and Hanalea recognized the voice - General Marin Karn, a butcherer. He had innocents killed en mass, and would use the dirtiest tactics whenever possible.

More men came rushing down the hillside and in-between Hanalea & Simon; including several slave mages who leveled their hands at Hanalea and Simon.

Hanalea & Simon were lucky to dodge the first volley of flame, which several southerners did not and they went up like tinder.

Simon charged forward and was struck with a charm and his wolf ring, sizzled against his finger - protection from magic. The mage's eyes went wide right before Simon drove his sword through his neck, and Hanalea finished off the other one who had raised his hands.

Simon kicked the mage off his boot and turned around, a little to late though - a mudback had creeped in behind them and ran his spear into Simon's stomach as he turned around. Simon faltered for several seconds, then with a defiant yell, grabbed ahold of the spear with his free hand and pulled it through him and the spearman closer.

Two more soldiers ran up but Hanalea tackled the first one who crashed into the second one, then following up slashed both through the chest, their blood spurting out like a geyser, high in the mountains.

Simon plunged his sword down into the chest of the mudback, and as the mudback went down he kept his eyes on Hanalea's face, who came up to him and pressed her lips to his.

"I love you, and I'll follow you shortly," she sighed and Simon was gone. Tears in her eyes falling down, clearing the dirt from her cheeks, leaving a trail of clean skin.

Hana pulled Simon's sword free and took a stance, keeping a constant turn on her head to avoid being struck from behind.

The crunch of a boot, Hana spun and cut the soldier down. Two more did, and she parried one blow, side stepped the other and sliced his throat open. Following through, she ran the other one through. As Hana dispatched two more soldiers, a thought crossed her mind - why weren't they attacking en mass and overpowering her with numbers?

One soldier came running in, his face flushed with anger, Hana effortlessly side stepped his blow, slashed him across his stomach and kicked him into several other mudbacks.

They are trying to take me alive.

Hanalea threw down her swords and drew her dagger which she always carried on her belt and drove it into her heart. Blinding pain came first as her vision blurred and she fell to her knees. Her arms felt heavy and hard to move. She reached for Simon's hand and fell flat on her side, blood spilling down her armor and onto the ground. Using the last of her strength, she sent up a prayer to the Maker and a apology to her sibilings & mother, and pushed the dagger in further and her eyes fluttered closed and her skin started turning the color of the snow on the ground that wasn't covered with lifeblood of those who had perished.

Hour's later Demonai scouts came upon the scene, and they recognized her body by her wolf ring, and armor. Her head was missing, signs of an unclean decapitation was shown on the body.

Several days later, a funeral in Fellsmarch was held, not just for Hanalea ana'Rasia, but also for Simon sul'Amon - Hana's bound Captain.

Comments: I have loved this series and still do, but I find myself more committed to an original work I am currently devoting my time too, and so instead of the five chapters and leaving you guys hanging - I came down to four. I hope you will follow my original work, called - The Hunter Chronicles.